3 Takeaways From New Jersey Devils Development Camp

The New Jersey Devils wrapped up the 2023 Development camp on Friday, and it was a very good week for all of the young prospects. It was exciting for fans to have some actual hockey news to follow for a week during the summer. With the season a few months away still, seeing actual competitive hockey on the ice in the summer months was fun.

There was the 3-on-3 tournament that ended with Team Stevens winning the whole thing, a trip to a hospital for the prospects to visit kids, a team building trip to West Point, and a Team White vs. Team Red scrimmage making up a very cool week.

Of all this, there is a lot to unpack. These are the three biggest takeaways from New Jersey Devils Prospect Camp here in 2023:

The New Jersey Devils have a lot to be excited about going forward.

1. The Feel Around The Team Is Different

There wasn’t a Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Simon Nemec, or Luke Hughes type of prospect there this year. There wasn’t even one on the level of Dawson Mercer or Alexander Holtz. That tells you that things are different now for the Devils’ organization.

This is a team winning at the NHL level, so there were no top-ten picks to look forward to. They are a true Stanley Cup contender now, so these camps are working on producing depth. They didn’t even have a 2023 first-rounder to spotlight because of the Timo Meier trade.

That doesn’t mean that these prospects are not important. It just means that they aren’t stealing the show like some of the others in the recent past.

2. The 2023 NHL Draft Was A Win

The New Jersey Devils didn’t have a ton of picks in the 2023 NHL Draft. They did make a few, and they are hoping that they found some diamonds in the rough.

Some of the players selected this year were awesome to watch this week. For one, their top pick Lenni Hameenaho was noticeable. The Devils selected him in the second round (58th overall). He has a great ability to be in the right place at the right time. His hockey IQ is off the charts, which will serve him well as he develops.

Cole Brown and Cam Squires are two players that also deserve some praise. Brown was a sixth-round pick (164th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft, while Squires was selected in the fourth round (122nd overall). They both scored a goal in the scrimmage on Friday and looked very good while doing it. Both of them have the ability to shoot and that could help them make it to the NHL one day.

In the case of Squires, his motor could help him make big plays as well. Think of the way Dawson Mercer plays and that is how Squires does. We’ll see how they do once the 2023-24 season begins away from the NHL.

3. Seamus Casey Is Amazing

The New Jersey Devils made a brilliant draft pick in Seamus Casey. He was a second-round pick in 2022 (46th overall) and has done nothing but impress since.

Only Luke Hughes had more points from the blue line at the University of Michigan last year. Now that Luke will be up with the Devils, Casey should jump into his spot, increasing his offensive production even more.

In this week of development camp, he was impressive. Whenever he was interviewed, whether it be about the hospital, West Point, or hockey, he is very insightful.

In terms of the game, he is a great player. He seems to be noticeable every single time he jumps on the ice. That will help him become a good NHL player as he always knows how to make an impact.

Other players also made an impact, but these storylines stood out above all. Now, the rest of the summer is about them developing and being ready for rookie camp in the fall. This team has a very bright future because of these guys in addition to what they’ve built at the NHL level.